Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-28
FRENCH MARRIAGES.
SENTIMENT CONCERNING PERSONS
WHO MARRY A SECOND TIME.


WHO MARRY A SECOND TIME.
A Memorable Series of Sermons-Rules
of Good Taste and Etiquette-simple
Attire of the Bride-Silver and Golden
Weddings.
French marriage customs are now well
known, 50 far as they relate TO first mar
riages, but as regards second marriages very
little has yet been written Perhaps these
marriages lack the romantic element which
in all human affairs is the sauce piqusnte that
lifts the flavor" This may explain why so
little notice is taken of them. There is a de-
cided disposition in France to regard those
who marry en- secondes noces as hardened
sinners or as imbeciles undeserving OF SYM
patty. The popular sentiment on the subject
is to the effect that a person has only the
right to be born once, to marry once and to
die once Those who show u wish TO undergo
any OF these operations twice are suspected of
gourmandize 1t must be admitted, however,
that public opinion respecting second mar
riages is much more generous with regard to
the man than with regard to the woman
There is a social and religious prejudice
against the second marriage of women,
especially when these have reached middle
age and havechldren.
The religious prejudice was remarkably
Illustrated u few years ago by Pere Didon,
who in the course of the memorable series of
sermons that be preached III Paris, and which
obtained for him the severe censure of the
general of the Dominicans and temporary
uIar.tinn To a Iittla island in the halltarra-
mean as his penance, attacked the practice Of
the second marriage of women with vahe
menee that profoundly astonished the congre-
CATION, among whom were some people who
considered the sermon grossly personal at
tack. The eloquent Dominican had not done
what the Latin proverlt advises the discreet
cobbler to do-he had gone beyond his last.
He had no authority to use pulpit for abus-
ing women who entered for the second time
the matrimonial state. The sermon was
printed in eXtenso in some of the papers, and
made prodigious commotion People asked
why the Dominican father was so hard upon
women and SO lenient toward men. The dis
cusSiOn took turn that was not exactly
theological Now, although Pere Didon was
very imprudent in expressing his opinions 50
strongly, he nevertheless caught up and put
INTO words floating religious idea, and one
that is by no means of recent date.
GOOD TASTE AND ETIQUETTE.
There are certain rules of good taste and
etiquette with regard to second marriages in
France which are usually observed by the
educated Glasses The whole ceremonial must
be quiet and transformations. The festive pre-
parations must be on modest scale 1t is
not considered becoming for the bridegroom
| and bride TO appear very happy. They must
be sedate and calm, with an expression of re-
cueilement in their faces. Something is due
70 the memory Of the dear departed. This is
especially the case if lady is a widow. She
does not take from her finger the ring placed
| there by her first husband Her second spouse
would be considered a man of bad feeling and
bad taste if he objected to this mark of re
spect paid to his predecessor. Moreover, if
the lady has children the first ring must be re
| tanned out of regard for the memory of their
| father, and she would he passing slight upon
/ them by taking it off. If these children
| are grown up they must not keep alOof from
the wedding party but must be present at
! the ceremony. They are not expected to
| look joyful, but their absence would give
| rise TO scandal The religious services must
1 be very simple-withOut floral decorations or
4 singing. The widow at her second marriage
must not wear gray or mauve, for such colors
| would be suggestive of half mourning, which
her second husband might not take to be a
delicate allusion to himself Rose color is
also forbidden, on the ground that it is too
l gay The headdress should be a black or
| white mantilIa, with a few flowers scattered
4 ~
| can only be worn once on such OCCASIONS nor
4 chrysanthemums and scabiouses, which are
| termed widows flowers" breakfast or
dinner follows the religious ceremony, but
| no ball is given i'll the case OF a second mar
| riage.
Silver marriages are very pleasing festi-
walls in France. When a couple have com
pleted twenty five yeaTsfof married life the
| event is celebrated with all the show of Joy
and festivity possible In the first place
there Is a religious ceremony in church
which has a good deal of the outward form
of genuine wedding. The lady is again
called the bride, and her toilet is superb sup.
posing her position in the world justities It.
The flowers which she is expected to wear are
large white OK eyes-known in France az
reines marguerites. The bridegroom wears a
dress coat. The pair are surrounded by their
children and grandchildren-if there are any
All relations are invited for grand family
muster is considered essential dinner is
given, followed by ball, which is opened by
the newly remarked couple, the lady dancing
with her eldest son and her husband with his
eldest daughter. Golden weddings are much
rarer than silver weddings Death only al
lows a very small proportion of married peo-
pie to live fifty years together. The cere
mony is the same in the case of silver
weddings There are now great-grandchild
rem as well as grandchildren present, and the
old people open the ball with the eldest of the
last generation of their defendants Paris
Cor. Boston Transcript.